On 19 June 2024, the Open University of China (OUC) held a thematic meeting on teaching teams. During the meeting, various academic schools engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on the current operations of teaching teams, existing issues, and suggestions for improvement.
Li Song, a member of the Party Committee and vice president of the OUC, attended the meeting. Staff from the Academic Affairs Department, the Department of Digitalisation, OUC Online, and other relevant departments also participated in the discussions.
Li Song emphasised that in 2019, the university issued the "Opinions on Deepening the Construction of Online Teaching Teams," which clearly stated that teaching teams are the key force supporting the construction of professional courses in the educational system, implementing the teaching process, and gathering outstanding teachers. They have become a pivotal driver in advancing the high-quality development of open education. The role of teaching teams has evolved from traditional teaching support to a virtual teaching and research office based on courses, ensuring the effective implementation of the teaching process and the high standard of teaching quality.
Li Song outlined four key areas for the transformation and upgrading of teaching teams: Firstly, strengthening the institutional framework of teaching teams and improving operational and incentive mechanisms; secondly, more precisely categorising teaching teams according to specific majors and course characteristics, optimising their structure, and enhancing their professionalism; thirdly, strengthening the responsibilities of teaching teams, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of team leaders and members, ensuring operational effectiveness; fourthly, improving the evaluation methods of teaching teams, utilising digital technology for diversified and intelligent assessments, and leveraging assessments to catalyse improvements and continuously enhance teaching quality.
Ten academic schools, including the School of Humanities, introduced their teaching team construction situations, showcased their achievements, delved into current issues and challenges, and proposed targeted improvement suggestions. The exchanges and speeches of the participants demonstrated the active exploration of various academic schools in teaching team construction, providing valuable insights and experiences for the comprehensive enhancement of teaching teams at the OUC.
This meeting further consolidated the consensus among academic schools and management departments, guiding the efforts towards strengthening teaching team construction and improving work effectiveness, which is crucial for driving the high-quality development of open education.
Written by Academic Affairs Department, photo by Zhuge Huanyu, OUC